Cardiff Blues centre Jamie Roberts has been ruled out for six weeks after picking up an elbow injury against Australia last month.

The 26-year-old will not return to action in the RaboDirect Pro 12 until mid-January after suffering an elbow hyperextension in Wales' 12-14 defeat to the Wallabies at the Millennium Stadium.

Despite the injury Roberts is expected to return in time for Wales' Six Nations campaign which kicks-off on February 2 against Ireland. In the meantime Blues centre Dafydd Hewitt is expected to fill in for Roberts and will start against Montepellier in this weekend's Heineken Cup clash.

While Roberts is on course for a Six Nations return, Ospreys lock Ian Evans looks unlikely to make it back into the starting line-up after picking up a knee injury against Samoa which is set to rule him out for up to eight weeks.

Evans had started Wales' autumn internationals campaign but then limped off the pitch in the team's 19-26 defeat against the Islanders and failed to make an appearance for Wales' remaining fixtures.

The 28-year-old will miss the Ospreys' Heineken Cup double header against Toulouse over the next two weekend and will be absent for the festive Pro12 clashes against the Scarlets and Newport Gwent Dragons as well as the Ospreys' January commitments.

Ospreys head physiotherapist Chris Towers said of the injury: "Ian has been troubled by an ongoing problem with his right knee since being unable to complete the Samoa game last month. Investigations and consultations with specialists have resulted in him undergoing a keyhole procedure, as a result of which he will be sidelines for six to eight weeks."